Reviews

So, I mainly watched this series for Jinyoung of GOT7 just to start this off. He's always been the best actor of the group and to hear he got a mini drama was pretty awesome and the premise of a Magic School seemed pretty interesting.

Story: It's hard to say this actually had a coherent plot. It's four different people; a student, a doctor, a professional magician, and a scholar, plus their teacher coming together at the Magic School. That's really it. There's no supernatural magic, just card tricks and stuff you'd see on TV just so you know. The story follows all four characters and their motivation for studying magic, how one person assists another and a touch of romance but the plot really doesn't 'go' anywhere if you will. There's no main antagonist so the 'drama' of this series is a bit flat. I found myself drifting away in the middle of a scene and having to re-watch parts since the story didn't engage me.

Acting: I was pretty neutral about the cast aside from Jinyoung but no one disappointed me. It's hard to act when the plot is weak at best. I was surprised by Yoon Park as Jay, his character had the most development by the end of the series. His motivations are laid out clearly, and in the beginning he is not the most likable character, but at the end you empathize with him and realize he's not absolutely terrible. I wish the female characters were a little stronger, both Park Kyu Young (Woori) and Shin Eun soo (Yi Seul) are great characters. Yet, their motivations and personalities we not given as much depth as their male counter parts.

Music: You will eventually hear a Day6 song towards the end of the series. The ending theme is memorable but not too loud or annoying, aside from those I really did not pay attention. Nor was anything else really memorable.

Rewatch: My rewatch value is always low. Unfortunately, despite being a short series I don't think I would ever re-watch this. However, if you're looking for something light to spend around four hours with, this might be something to consider.

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I've always loved Noona romances and so I happily sat down to watch this show about a young man and an older woman who change each other's lives for the better.

The show started off very strong. Although Derek Chang's An Quinhui is very young and very immature, he has lovely chemistry with Ruby Lin's Xiaofei. The acting is very good and, at least in the beginning, the show has a nice vibe of verisimilitude: these people feel real, their lives feel real and the story feels real too. This is a classic slice of slice drama - or at least it is until the episode 14 mark where it starts to go horribly wrong.

At one point it became clear that Quinhui was far far too young and far too immature for Ruby Lin's character and the idea this relationship would progress to a romance was somewhat laughable. No mature professional woman her age would be genuinely interested in this child and yet the show pursued the relationship anyway. It's not surprising that it inevitably crashed and burned.

I am yet to see a Taiwanese drama that doesn't attempt to fill its long episode run with a touch of Makjang and unfortunately this was no exception. The last few episodes were a tough watch as An Quinhui responds to his feelings in the most immature way possible and the people around the main couple behave just as badly. In the end, what I had enjoyed about the show was slowly eroded until I was just left with frustration and second-hand embarrassment.

I only finished this show because I'd already devoted so much time to it. It's yet another Taiwanese drama that started off well but couldn't maintain it over so many episodes.

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I've waited for over a year since the trailer came out, and this series is beyond my expectation. At first, I planned to watch only because it's Earth first series as a main role and the storyline is different from other BL series. As I watched through episode 4 I got deep into the series. They portrayed the life of the villagers really good, Phupha and Tian has a non toxic and mature relationship. There is no unnecessary drama and every characters has an important role.

Earth acting skill definitely got a lot better and Mix has proven his ability as a new comer (I can't believe this is his first time acting). Their acting felt natural, their chemistry is on another level, and they can delivered the feelings perfectly. And what I love the most is they don't need excessive lovey-dovey scene but you can feel their love towards each other (you'll know what I mean if you watch it ;) ).

In conclusion, this series is worth to watch. Go watch it!! :)

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Hot Chemistry on a Not so Hot of a Mess

Love at first night is the first Thai Lakorn that I watched while it was still airing. My reason for watching is because I like Mark and Yaya in Waves of Life. The toxic fighting of their characters Jee and Sathit made me fall in love with their chemistry.

Love at First Night is subpar drama compared to Waves of Life. It lacks the storyline that would engage watchers. They also have some unnecessary wacky scenes which can be too much. The concept is Romcom but in most parts of the series, it leaned towards the comedy part. The fake love triangle (Dad-Apo-Mueang) also made some watchers raise eyebrows on this one. But, despite this, Mark and Yayas's acting were on a different level. They give a very fresh take on Apo and Mueang. Their chemistry still delivers from the screen on to the viewers hearts.

The show started to grow on me on Episode 7. The family problems and dynamics are very shallow and just became annoying at times. But, once Apo and Mueang started to get closer again, I started to feel invested on this show. I realized I just need to just watch it and enjoy the lakorn as it is and to not to overthink too much. I think their love story is the boy fell, girl fell harder-type. On Episode 13, this wacky show just became a ball of fluffy romance. And, it works, Why? Because of the CHEMISTRY. A simple scene eating lovingly together made my heart explode.

In the end, this may be underwhelming after the success of Waves of Life. If only this show immediately followed the heavy drama, many people may have appreciated a light drama like this. However, 7 years of waiting for this? I understand why people can be disappointed. I still recommend people to watch this series just to watch the romance scenes. Mark and Yaya really delivers every time. ;)

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I want to note that I started watching this drama because of the reviews others made, but as you can tell from my rating...I wasn’t a huge fan of this drama and I still don’t really understand what was so special about it.

Story: Two clans of humans fighting for supremacy and the technology/secret to flight? The reincarnation of a goddess who wants to reunite with her lover, but is fated to separate from him in each life? The plot had everything to be well embellished upon. However, its mainly just a poorly executed “tragic” love story masked with the theme of two clans of humans fighting each other. The conflict between the human clans was pushed aside so the love between the two main characters could develop. Which is fine since it tends to happen to most dramas that incorporate romance, but the love between the main characters was unbelievable. I can see how the main male fell in love with the main girl, but I felt like the female lead just woke up one morning and was like hey I love this guy.

Acting/Cast: Most of the cast was okay. I found that the older actors/actresses were better than the younger ones. Which is to be expected since the other actors might be new, but the female lead was just awful. She did a poor job at portraying the emotions she was supposed to give us viewers. She had 3 emotions and they all looked the same. Like all the other reviewers I felt that male leads acting was the only superb one. The actor did a great job at portraying his character and letting us see/feel the emotions he’s going through. If I could give a rating for just the male actor it'd be 8.5 versus the low 6. As much as I enjoyed his acting I cant rate a whole series based on just his acting along. To be fair...the female lead would've gotten a 3...

Music: The intro and music within the show works, but the ending theme just kind of randomly slaps you in the face with TFBoys.

Rewatch Value: None. I barely made it through the first time and I doubt I will the second time.

Overall: The beginning of this drama was brilliant and promising. It was refreshing. The CGI wasn’t laughable and the way they edit the scenes gave a whimsical aesthetic (like most fantasy/historical Chinese dramas). However, the way they implemented the romance and how unfinished the drama felt was subpar. You can tell a lot in 28 episodes (29 if you include the alternative happy ending), but because they focused on developing the romance between the two main characters you saw minimal plot on the conflict between the two clans (except for the first and last 5 episodes). The romance between the two main characters felt…nonexistent. The male lead falling for the female lead was more realistic than the female lead falling for him. All they did was bicker, then fall in love, and bicker again. It was a vicious cycle and she didn’t make her love for him feel real. Maybe this is due to her poor acting. I was excepting more because of the other reviews, but this drama just didn't live up to my expectations.

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For those who love a mature and good detective drama (without much CP)

There have been quite alot of detective cdramas released recently, although I have not watched them all, yet this should be my favorite for 2020 ^_^ The main reason that I love it:-- it focuses more on the FL's life and murder cases, and less on the romance. The script and pacing are even throughout the drama, unlike some other detective cdramas where it ends in a cliffhanger (Detective L.... for hinting at a master villain throughout but nothing happen) or plot turns ridiculous at the end (When a Snail Falls in Love). The comedy is done well too, not too much, just at the appropriate moments. My fav comedy is in the 2nd last episode ;) which was quite unexpected as the story was very tensed at that point, yet the comedy was actually logical and required in order for the plot to move on.

My highest praise is for the sets and costumes!! The production team has put alot of thought into making this as believable and realistic as possible. The cars, costumes and setting of every room and hall are so 1940s Shanghai-style and GORGEOUS. Ironically though, ML looks better in the pink convertible than FL ;p You will love the murder at the dressmaker: for the beautiful dresses and designs. Although I do not like the murder of the painter case, that painting of the sleeping beauty is so artistic and beautiful, I have to agree it is "to kill for".

The cast put up an excellent performance. I especially love the FL: the way she walks and talks is so sophisticated and charming. True, Ma Yili does not look 'drop-dead gorgeous' here... as this is modeled after Miss Fisher, who is someone described as so beautiful and flirtatious. But in real life, attractive women might not always be the best looking. Miss Su's charm is in the way she carries herself (confidence), her world view and knowledge, and knowing what dresses suit her figure. I'm sure you know of at least 1 or 2 such friends, who are quite average looking but attracts opp sex like honey to bees because of her charisma.... Ma Yili / Miss Su is such. If this is not attractive to you, there is the ML, Gao Weiguang in 1940s coat and suit.

The negative point about the drama is the murder cases.... not all of the cases are good. Especially a few of the cases in the 1st half. After the great start (the first case), there are a few duds. You know the kind, over complicated murder plan with very unbelievable killer motivation. Thankfully there are some really good cases. I especially like the murder at the factory, and murder at the dressmaker. The killers' motivations in both cases were unexpected yet logical ;)

The other negative point of the drama, it lacks the X factor. In spite of the amazing cast, good script and beautiful cinematography, I actually pause a few days in between episodes in the first half (between ep 5 to 15). I have started on this drama after it was completed. I could have binge it, but it did not have that pull factor for me. Which is quite strange... considering I do rate this drama very highly. If you have watched this drama, and feel the same way, could you explain why? It is like drinking champagne: you enjoy it when drinking, but do not feel the desire to order it every time.

Finally if anyone is haunted by the ending theme song, I found it at youtube:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-65emeeFJZ4 窥望 by Sa Ji. And https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rsihvx2KQT0 迷惑 by Ye Xuanqing If you understand Chinese, the lyrics in the songs describe the drama well.

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There is no slap/kiss. Forced kiss,rape scene. No slap and back girl fight.

●I watched Great in my secret bride and wanted to see another one of his dramas so I searched for a long time and found SAMEEE(husband). the name itself gave me orthodox feels that it would be a typical arranged marriage. But wait the synopsis played a striking part and changed my perspective.
●Story- I thought this lakron would be as the name says Husband would be the breadwinner of the family, But here he takes care of his siblings after their mother passed away. Plays a gigantic role to maintain peace in the family for there is a greedy stepmom. And lastly loving a woman unconditionally and making her fall in love after the marriage. But that's a twist because their marriage isn't simple, it is the circumstances that put Rasika to marry Rab.
So all sorts of questions arise after the first ep. and with each episode, the questions get answered that
Why Rab doesn't want to be with his GF Sih.
Why he wants to marry Rasika when he has a son. And how many flings did he have? All the siblings accept Her Lady Walee, why at least one should ignore her.
How can a mother-daughter marry into the same family? It should be either siblings or in-laws. That relationship status just sucks.
●Acting- Great Warintorn was awesome and felt truly a husband material.
Preem as Rasika was awesome. I was totally surprised to read that she was just seventeen during this drama yet gave a totally mature and powerful performance.
Alex Randell as Ram was just wow. He aced his role as a rude brat who is affection deprived and only a tool for revenge.

●Music- I’ll love you all my life ost was used perfectly in BGM and is worth listening to.
●Rewatch- yes amazing chemistry and story

●Conclusion-Seeing this I felt why Mr. Christian grey had agreements before he went into relationships in fifty shades of grey
It was a total blast of emotional moments while on a journey to Rab and Rasika falling in love, embracing each other flaws, past mistakes, and forgiving each other.
●Note- there is no slap/kiss. Forced kiss, rape scene. No slap and back girl fight. Thank god for this lakron.

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"We're moving forward albeit slowly. We're standing side by side."

When I found out I was getting a Season 2 of Utsukushi Kare S2 I was over the moon. Seriously, I literally squeeled! I missed my boys so much and it was a joy watching these 4 extra episodes although I wish we had more. But, I digress.
I love how the writers kept this realistic in both story and characters. Both Kiyoi and Hira are still pretty much the same but have also changed quite a bit. Kiyoi is more confident in himself. He's also more content & secure in showing his feelings for Hira. He's even mastered a way to get Hira to listen to him when he wants him to love himself more. It's a cute method, pretty much old "nasty" Kiyoi but with good intensions. Hira, although his character development is not as obvious it is there. He can see that he needs to get better and that he's stuck in the same place. While before, he refused to even acknowledge those problems. Let's face it the type of self-worth and mental health issues he has are not going to go away overnight. He needs help, I wish it came in a professional way, but he gets the second-best way: in a mentor that's been there and can be the light he needs to get better. With Kiyoi's love being the guiding force, I have no doubt that with hard work and hopefully therapy his issues will be able to go away. And there is where the title of my review comes in.
To be honest, I'm glad the writers didn't give Hira a magical cure because that is just not realistic, it's gonna take time. Sure, I would have liked more happiness and intimacy but that's not who Hira and Kiyoi are. Their love is strong and getting stronger every day, no matter the issues. I can't wait to see what the next chapter brings for Hira and Kiyoi in Eternal.
Hagiwara and Yagi brought their a game especially in the big confrontation scene in ep 3. They are so good at what they do. And it was obvious how happy they were to be working together again. There was this sense of happiness in all their scenes together. Made this even more of a joy to watch. Chemistry? 10+
I'm giving this a 10 because I loved everything about it. Even when the story may have seemed repetitive, it was important to be told that way. I'm gonna be rewatching this and S1 over and over until I can watch the movie. Highly recommended of course.

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This series is divided into four mini-episodes. Everything is based on the true story of the characters lives. This is the season 1 so here are the first things to see.

The first episode showed one of the most problems of schools, bullying. When there is a different eye, besides these people are no longer accepted, exploited, and abused. But in spite of all, this stage shows the face of love that can endure everything. You'll endure everything, sacrifice for the person you really love.

In the second episode show Love in the face of time. Even after long time, at the same place, at other times, we know, that it still meets. Love will see us through.

In the third stage the sacrifice of a loved one is shown. You are sacrificing everything for that person, and after many years, the person who caused your sacrifices will also be the cause of your destruction. It hurts to think that you have left everything for him, but he'll will leave you too.

And the final stage is the most epicenter of all episodes. The question is: What if the person you love is can't be in your life because of tradition?
This last episode shows the lesson of tolerance. Even if you're not the person to say the phrase, "Yes, I Do.", you'll let him go. Even if it's painful, even if it's the cause of your life, you will end your relationship with each other.
-
Mr. X and I (2015)

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My heart wanted to burst

My heart wanted to burst just within minutes of watching this movie! Although it may have been very successful as a drama (with these actors, etc.) the simplistic nature of this movie hit all the feels. It was pure and straight to the point. It wonderfully covered topics on youth, coming-of-age, love, family, and friendship within just a span of two hours.

This story is about a girl named Geng Geng who becomes deskmates with a boy named Yu Huai after they meet on the first day. It started with Yu Huai pointing out that his name (on the bulletin board) was next to someone called Geng Geng and together their name makes "Geng Geng Yu Huai," meaning to "take to heart." Turns out it was her that he was talking about. After becoming deskmates, they become friends and they even began taking interest in each other. Nearing graduation however, unexpected news leaves them parting ways. The story mainly follows their youth almost acting as flashbacks from present time but eventually comes full circle with them meeting once again after seven years.

Definitely recommend! In terms of the selection of actors and their acting skills, this movie was very well paired. Again, there were so many moments my heart wanted to just burst because of how cute and pure the interactions were.

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One of the best shows I've ever watched!

Where should I even start? This show is phenomenal from every point of view. From the engaging plotline to the comical aspects of the show, from the great acting to the amazingly written characters. It's a 10/10 all round if you're an action/thriller/mystery lover like myself. Bad and Crazy had me laughing one minute and then crying the next. The first episode put me off initially but trust me, it's 100% worth watching once you get into it! I recently finished rewatching it because it was just that good, I HAD to watch it again. The show also covered some unsettling but vitally important topics that aren't spoken about enough such as split personality disorder, mental health issues, child abuse, gaslighting and manipulation. Overall, this show is a must watch for any K-drama fan and it's one of the most enjoyable shows I've ever watched :).

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Three birds with one stone.

I am a huge fan of black comedy and throw in some gangsters and I am hooked. Chen Kuilin is an infamous hitman on the run. Diagnosed with terminal illness, he tries to turn himself in only to discover he is merely the third most wanted criminal in Taiwan. Quivering with outrage, he sets out to secure his street creed as the biggest, baddest, bad guy of them all by taking out his competitors.

Ethan Juan floored me with his complex portrayal of this brazen, brutal, narcissistic gangster with crazy but understandable motives and an odd instinct to protect the weak. His close shave with Hongkie had me on the edge of my seat and their killer vs killer fight scenes were raw and savage. His desire for redemption and salvation at the commune surprised me until it didn't. A terrible betrayal culminates in a shocking bloodbath that masterfully builds and releases tension.

This is a well paced, intense and violent action thriller with a number of unanticipated twists. The dialogue is superb and dark humor is deftly used to release tension and infuse a sense of lingering irony. It has all the elements of the good old Hong Kong gangster movies from its distinct cinematic style to the emotional depth of the characters that belies the casual onscreen violence.

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie but I must admit that the final ten minutes left a feeling of nagging disappointment. The perfect place to wrap this up would have been at the reveal of the hitman that takes out three birds with one stone. The last ten minutes embraces maudlin tropes that are characteristic of Taiwanese productions. In this case, it completely ruins the no regrets nature of the beast. I have no choice but to knock 0.5 off my rating so this is overall an 8.0/10.0 for me. I strongly recommend skipping the last ten minutes.

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Don't Stop Watching!

Depression, suicide mention TW

When I first started watching the show, I thought that it was slow and confusing. However, as I continued to watch it, I realized that this is the kind of show that gradually builds on itself. The writing and plot are simply perfection—rewatching it made me realize how much they set the scene for future events to come. What I like so much about this drama is that it was an extremely complicated storyline to tackle but they managed to pull it off. There are no loose strings, and by the time I finished the drama, I understood everything that had happened. The best way to describe this drama is one "ohhh" of realization after another. I'm a sucker for time travel dramas and am very pleased with how they executed it.

Someday or One Day chose to discuss disability, dysfunctional families, mental illness, and homosexuality in ways that you could feel the characters' pain. In my opinion, the show's representation of these issues was impressive. They were accurate and helped the audience to empathize with the character's experiences and emotions. The depiction I liked, in particular, was Chen Yun Ru's struggle with isolation, loneliness, and depression. Seeing her character made me emotional because her emotions and thoughts were far too similar to mine in the past. That's how accurate the depiction was. She had some very valuable lines that I think everyone can keep in mind after watching the show. One that hit me particularly hard was "I've already tried so hard... Why do all of you still have to tell me to try harder, to be better?" Something the show touches on is that it's important to try to understand and support people going through depression, rather than only caring about them when they're on the brink of suicide and telling them what they should think and do. I think this is why I love Someday or One Day so much—it chose to discuss taboo topics in an accurate and meaningful way. Keep in mind, however, that this show also has its lighthearted moments too.

The acting. Let's talk about the acting. Alice Ke is insane. The way she was able to pull off both Chen Yun Ru and Huang Yu Xuan within the same drama is amazing. Despite both characters being played by her, each one was so different and felt like their own person. Alice Ke went back and forth from being a lonely high schooler to a confident working-age class adult (and college student) effortlessly. Everything about her expressions and acting was amazing. I also have to give credit to Greg Hsu and Patrick Shih. Although Greg Hsu didn't get to switch between his own respective characters as much, you could still see his versatility. All in all, they did a great job fleshing out their character's personalities and emotions. The chemistry between Greg Hsu and Alice Ke was also amazing. Huang Yu Xuan and Li Zi Wei's romance was heart-wrenching and made me smile like an idiot at the same time.

One last thing I'd like to talk about—the production. Something Taiwanese cinema takes advantage of particularly well is the concept of nostalgia. They incorporate this into the setting, music, color correction, and wardrobe. That is exactly what Someday or One Day did. The soundtrack is amazing. I listen to it in my free time. It's the kind that makes you feel wistful. I'm also a sucker for aesthetics, which is why I fell in love with the overall vision of the drama. I could talk for hours about the color correction in particular. I'm Taiwanese, so maybe that's why this drama resonated so well with me.

Please watch this show. It's addicting and it'll change your life.

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♥ この初恋はフィクションです ♥

この初恋はフィクションです is a love story of a youth group second-year high school students who are swayed by 'mysterious handsome transfer students' that no one has met because he was absent from the first day.
Kurashina Izumi who is the main FL falls in love with Sobue Hiroki who is a tranferred student to her school, but he is an actor so he never shows up at school. Izumi san goes to his house to give his mother their homework everyday.
Out of the blue Izumi and Sobue start talking on the Line app and Izumi san starts to have feelings for him...
Sawa and Moeko her best friends always start asking about Sobue and that they want to meet him too, but Izumi san hasn't met him yet so she feels sad..
After a long time finally comes they day and Izumi with Sobue have their first real meet in the library. Everything is so magical for them, they fall in love with each other...
This drama is soo romantic and youthful, One of the best dramas of 2021 ♥ ♥ ♥

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